Horse Riding Adventures in Jinja

Horse Riding Adventures in Jinja – Explore Jinja – Uganda Adventure Travel.

Horse riding through the rural villages of Jinja gives you a lifetime opportunity to see real Uganda, which includes not only the stunning beauty of the river Nile and rural areas but also the village homes, workplaces, trading centers, and lives of people who live around the area. While riding, you may be lucky and see wildlife (birds and monkeys on our rides) but horse-riding tours are not wildlife safaris, they are a snapshot of real-life Africa including all aspects both positive and negative. All rides finish with a stunning 1km trail along the Nile. On longer rides of 2 hours, you can also experience the views from the hills overlooking the Nile Valley and move through the stunning sugar and tea plantation.

The Jinja horse riding Adventure is operated by the Nile Horse Back Safaris offering a range of rides catering for first-timers to advanced riders. Most of the rides are private rides with only your group on the tour.

The adventure is open between 10 am and 4 pm every day unless you have pre-booked trips outside these hours. Bookings are offered for our 1hr, 1.5hr sunset, and 2hr rides so horses and guides are available when you arrive.

85kg is the rider weight limit for introductory safaris and an 80kg limit for longer rides. This is implemented for rider safety and also for the welfare of the horses. Every safari is taken care of by multiple guides to accommodate those that may want to try going faster and to also allow others to stay within their comfort zone.

The Horses.

There is availability of a range of sizes and breeds to suit everyone from beginners to advanced skill levels.  The horses come to northern Kenya when they are aged between 1 year and 3 years. The horses are trained for about a year before the guides begin to ride them and at least a year and a half before clients ride them. They are taken care of by a professional vet from South Africa twice every year and occasionally monitored by a local vet regularly. The horses are kept in immaculate condition and are trained in competition disciplines as well as being safari horses. They are well-behaved, safe, and bomb-proof, making them a pleasure to ride.

What is the cost of a horse-riding safari in Jinja?

The price cost of horse riding depends on how long the traveler would like to enjoy the horse ride since it is charged depending on how many hours the traveler would like to go. For example; For kids horse pony ride in an hour is 120,000/= per kid and for 30 minutes pony ride is 70,000/= per kid.

A one-hour horse ride cost 40 USD per adult, one hour and a half horse riding is 50 USD per adult, two hours horse ride is 60 per adult, three hours of horse riding is 90 USD per adult, for an overnight horse ride is 60 USD per adult.

How to book a horse ride safari in Jinja?

For direct bookings and inquiries, travelers can contact the Nile horseback safaris via email or a phone call to their reservation office in Jinja and they will be in a position to give them immediate feedback and they are ready to serve all time.

However, we normally advise travelers to book their horse ride safari in Jinja with an Uganda safari expert operator who will assist them with arranging accommodation, meals, and transportation, as well as giving them different opinions of how best they can enjoy a horse in Jinja. When you book with Katland Safaris, we will offer an extremely ordinary horse ride adventure experience together with our company safari guide who will accompany you to Jinja for your Horse-Riding adventure.

What to pack for a horse ride in Jinja?

For travelers planning to go for a horse ride safari in Jinja, we advise travelers to carry long-sleeved trousers for both men and women, comfortable sports shoes, a helmet or head hut for protection of the head from direct sun rays and in case of an accident, travelers should not forget a cream repellent to protect their skin shine rays on a horse ride a safari and a camera to capture those great memories.

For more information about arranging a horse-Riding Safari in Jinja, please contact Katland Safaris. We have the experience to customize your horse riding in Jinja with other activities on the source of the Nile such as bungee jumping, white water rafting, and zip lining among others that will offer you incredible adventure experiences in the pearl of Africa.

A 3 DAYS SAFARI TO FORT PORTAL WITH ACCOMODATION AT KYANINGA LODGE.

Have a great 3 days tour in Fort Portal where you will be able to take part in different activities like visiting Amabere Ga’nyinamwiru caves, taking part in cultural entertainment for both the Bakiga and Batooro, visiting Semuliki hot springs, exploring the craters of Fort Portal and enjoying the best of tea plantation viewing.

Detailed safari itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to fort portal.

Be picked up from a hotel or any other place agreed upon and head to Fort Portal passing via Mityana and Mubende Highway. The road trip to this part of Uganda is amazing because you pass through different landscapes covered by hilly rocks like in Mubende, natural forests like the Matiri forest reserve, and Kibale forest.

These offer the best viewing for different primates like olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys and if you are lucky enough, you will meet chimpanzees. The overall journey takes about 5 hours’ drive from Kampala but it can also take 4 hours depending on the speed. We will arrive in fortportal early enough to check into the lodge for relaxation and lunch.

After Lunch, we will head out for a community tour around the lake and experience the true Culture of the batooro. We will return to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay

Meals: Lunch, and dinner

Accomodation is at Kyaninga Lodge

Day 2: Visit to Semuliki national game park and tour of the male and female hot springs.

Head to Bundibugyo District after your breakfast and make the first stopover at the viewpoint. At this point, you will witness the Rift Valley escarpment and enjoy the sharp corners on the foothill of the Rwenzori mountains. You are advised to carry something you can boil while in the Sempaya hot springs such as eggs, Irish, and bananas among others.

Arrive at the offices in Semuliki National Park and then you will have a short walk to these springs. Have a great experience as you enjoy the natural steam from these springs. After you will head back to Fort Port and at the lodge for lunch and a whole evening of relaxation over swimming and admiration of the beautiful vegetation surrounding of Lake Kyaninga.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accomodation is at Kyaninga Lodge.

Day 3: Mabele Ganyinamwiru crater lakes tour and transfer to Kampala

Wake up in the morning at leisure for breakfast and head out for a short trip to explore some of the crater lakes that make frtportal a special place to be. Later head back to Kampala and be dropped at any agreed point which will mark the end of this 3 days tour.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

End of Safari.

Thanks for choosing to travel with Katland Safaris.

 The lodge selected and recommended is fit for both relaxation and adventure and will bring out an amazing experience.

Safari Includes.

• Two nights accomodation at Kyaninga lodge for a couple sharing.
• Services of an English driver guide
• Transportation in a 4×4 van customized for safari
• Fuel for the whole round trip
• Meals for the whole trip as described in the itinerary.
• Drinking water on board.
• All activities as described in the itinerary

1. Community walk
2. Swiming in the lake
3. Nature walk
4. Mabere Ganyinamwiru
5. Crater Lakes tour
6. Visit to semiliki hot Springs

Excludes

International Airfares

Tips and gratitude

Expenses of personal nature like alcoholic drinks.

Boat Safari in Murchison Falls National Park: A Comprehensive Guide to Game viewing in Murchison Falls National game park.

If you’re planning an adventure in Uganda, a boat safari in Murchison Falls National Park is an experience you won’t want to miss. This unique safari offers a different perspective on Uganda’s wildlife and scenery, combining relaxation with excitement. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about boat safaris in Murchison Falls National Park, including what to expect, highlights, and tips for making the most of your trip.

What to Expect on a Boat Safari

A boat safari in Murchison Falls National Park is a leisurely yet thrilling way to experience the park’s diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes. These safaris typically take place on the Nile River, offering fantastic opportunities to spot animals and enjoy breathtaking views. Here’s what you can expect:

• Wildlife Encounters: The Nile is teeming with life, and you’ll likely see hippos, crocodiles, and various bird species. Elephants and buffaloes can often be spotted drinking from the riverbanks.
• Scenic Beauty: The boat safari will take you close to the Murchison Falls, where the Nile dramatically plunges through a narrow gorge. The views are truly spectacular and provide excellent photo opportunities.
• Guided Experience: Knowledgeable guides accompany you, offering insights into the park’s wildlife and natural history. They help enhance your experience with their expertise and local knowledge.

Highlights of the Boat Safari

1. Murchison Falls: The boat safari’s centerpiece is the magnificent Murchison Falls. Watching the Nile River force its way through a narrow chasm and tumble over the cliffs is a mesmerizing sight.
2. Hippo and Crocodile Watching: Hippos and crocodiles are common sights on the river. Observing these massive creatures in their natural habitat is both thrilling and educational.
3. Bird Watching: The Nile is a haven for birdwatchers. Expect to see a variety of bird species, including the majestic fish eagle and colorful kingfishers.
4. Sunset Cruises: For a more romantic and serene experience, consider a sunset cruise. The soft light and calm waters create a magical atmosphere perfect for relaxation.

Tips for a Memorable Boat Safari

• Dress Appropriately: Wear comfortable clothing and bring a hat and sunscreen. If you’re on an early morning or evening cruise, a light jacket might be useful.
• Bring Binoculars and a Camera: For wildlife spotting and capturing the stunning scenery, binoculars and a camera with a good zoom lens are essential.
• Stay Hydrated: Bring plenty of water, especially if you’re on a longer cruise. Staying hydrated is important for enjoying the safari fully.
• Follow Safety Instructions: Listen carefully to your guide’s safety instructions and follow them to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

Booking Your Boat Safari

Boat safaris in Murchison Falls National Park are popular, so it’s a good idea to book in advance. Many lodges and tour operators offer boat safari packages, which can be tailored to your preferences. Whether you choose a standard or private boat safari, make sure to select a reputable operator to ensure a high-quality experience.

Conclusion

A boat safari in Murchison Falls National Park is an unforgettable way to explore Uganda’s wildlife and natural beauty. From the dramatic falls to the diverse riverine wildlife, this safari offers a unique and enriching adventure. With the right preparation and a sense of adventure, you’ll create memories that last a lifetime.

For more information on booking your boat safari and other activities in Murchison Falls National Park, feell free to contact us.

How Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas Survived Covid-19.

There are two subpopulations of mountain gorillas that are located around the Virunga Massif, which is bordered by Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is only one nation in the southwestern boundary region that has both subpopulations inside its boundaries, and that country is Uganda.

In order to encourage tourism and study, around sixty percent of Uganda’s mountain gorillas have become used to the presence of humans. This brings the gorillas closer to people on a regular basis. It is important to note that gorillas are vulnerable to human illnesses, such as viruses that cause deadly respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.

Mountain gorillas, like all other great apes, share 98% of the genetic DNA with humans which indicates that they are genetically connected to us as a species. There are presently no cases of COVID-19 infections in mountain gorillas; nonetheless, Uganda has taken quick action to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission from humans to gorillas out of concern for the possible spread of the virus.

In this section, we will try to explain how the mountain gorillas of Uganda managed to survive. The steps taken by the government and conservation organizations in order to protect mountain gorillas from the risk of contracting the Covid-19 illness.

It is impossible to overstate the severity of the risk that the COVID-19 epidemic presented to the endangered mountain gorillas, despite the fact that there are no words that can adequately depict the human agony and economic devastation that the pandemic wrought.

Over fifty percent of the mountain gorillas who are still alive on the planet have become used to people. As a result of their daily proximity to humans, there is a significant possibility that the pandemic will be transmitted to those who live in the forest.

Furthermore, the gorilla forests that are classified as highly protected are bordered by the greatest human population density in Africa. This creates an environment that is perfect for the COVID-19 virus to spread to the mountain gorillas.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority, in conjunction with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), and Gorilla Doctors, used all of these data as a basis for their reaction to the danger that the COVID-19 epidemic poses to the conservation of mountain gorillas.

All of them worked together to put into effect preventative measures that were mainly aimed at the human-gorilla interaction in the administration of protected areas.

Preventative measures in the vicinity of gorillas

In the end, mountain gorillas are a successful conservation effort since the bulk of the gorilla population, which accounts for around sixty percent of the total, has become used to human contact in order to promote tourism. There is no other primate species that is found in the wild that has such a big proportion of the overall population coming into close contact with humans on a daily basis or more.

In spite of the fact that gorilla tourism may make it possible to successfully execute conservation measures, it also presents challenges to the conservation of primates. Most importantly, it is widely established that mountain gorillas have in the past succumbed to human infections at locations where mountain gorillas and humans come into touch with one another. Respiratory infections caused by viruses may sometimes result in subsequent bacterial infections that are deadly.

As a result of the realization that mountain gorillas may be susceptible to infectious illnesses that are transmitted by humans, conservationists have been pushed to follow best practices in order to stop the pandemic from spreading into the gorilla woods.

A face mask is required to be worn by visitors, and they must maintain a distance of ten meters (32 feet) from the mountain gorillas. Before escorting guests inside the park, guides do temperature checks and disinfection of both the shoes and the hands of the guests arriving.

However, the best practices did not become operational until the issue was investigated and a contingency plan was developed. The goal of this strategy was to avoid any direct interaction between gorillas and humans (for example, visitors touching gorillas) and to reduce indirect contact with gorillas to the greatest degree feasible.

Gorilla tourism will be put on hold in order to formulate preventative recommendations.
On March 26, the Uganda Wildlife Authority decided to shut all of the country’s national parks as a precautionary measure against the pandemic danger confronting wild animals. During the process of preparing a backup plan for reopening, the University of Washington (UWA) put into action the strategy to safeguard staff, tourists, and animals.

Gorilla tourism is a key source of money for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, which is responsible for the operations of the organization. For the villages that are located in close proximity to the gorilla parks, it is a vital source of options for making a living.

As soon as the Ugandan government decided to put a stop to tourist operations, the number of park employees was reduced so that only a select few could continue to monitor the well-being and safety of the gorillas on a regular basis.

Daily temperature checks and self-assessments of indications of COVID-19 were to be performed by park workers, as they were trained to do. As the ability of laboratories throughout the nation to do diagnostic testing increased, the authorities in charge of protected areas took the initiative to conduct routine screenings of park employees.

In Bwindi National Park, for instance, rangers and trackers were subjected to COVID-19 testing before to reporting for rotational duty. The movement of people to and from their homes and communities was restricted, and only those persons who had not tested positive were assigned to ranger patrol positions for a period of fourteen days.

The spread of COVID-19 was seen in the majority of the towns and villages that were located in close proximity to mountain gorilla parks when the lockdown was in effect.

Despite the fact that the authorities in charge of the protected area had the best of intentions and made great attempts to screen park staff for COVID-19, gorilla specialists were concerned that there was an extremely high potential that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 would come into contact with gorillas. It may also become difficult, if not impossible, to contain the epidemic inside the mountain gorilla zone.

The activities that took place in the villages that were located in close proximity to the national parks in Uganda came to a standstill for an even longer amount of time after they were opened. This was due to the fact that Uganda had suspended and closed the parks for over nine months.

During that time period, several establishments such as lodges, camps, and hotels were shut down, which resulted in the jobless members of the community. In order to provide for their families, a handful of them resorted to engaging in criminal activities inside the park.

Over the course of the first three months of Uganda’s tourist shutdown, the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s patrol activities gathered more than twice as many snares as are typically discovered in wildlife-protected regions around the country. Including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to about half of the world’s mountain gorilla population, which is believed to number 1,063.

The lack of tourism that occurred in Bwindi during the COVID-19 shutdown was a significant factor that led to the death of a dominant male gorilla of the species. A member of the community who was hungry and weak was responsible for the death of the lead silverback of the Nkuringo gorilla group on June 1, 2020. The individual was hunting duiker and bush pigs with the purpose of consuming them and selling them at the local market.

Despite the fact that gorillas are not consumed in Uganda, they are often caught in traps that were designed to catch other animals. As a result of the cry that the bush pig let out after being speared by the poacher, the silverback gorilla charged the poacher in order to defend his family.

The poacher then proceeded to knife and kill the gorilla, alleging that it was acting in self-defense at the time. The poacher was given a sentence of eleven years in prison, which is the harshest punishment that has ever been handed down to a person in Uganda for the crime of murdering wild animals.

Although the punitive sentencing was meant to discourage other members of the community, it was anticipated that similar instances would occur among members of the community who were in a desperate situation since there were no food sources available because tourism had been suspended. In the time since Rafiki’s passing, thankfully, no other gorilla has been afflicted with the same destiny.

To facilitate the resumption of tourist operations, the Ugandan government, acting via the Uganda Wildlife Authority and in conjunction with other tourism stakeholders, established stringent operational protocols.

The operating methods of the public health system.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority, with the assistance of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), established recommendations in 1993 to reduce the risk of disease transmission between humans and gorillas.

These guidelines were taken into consideration when tourism started. In accordance with these regulations, visitors were not permitted to approach the gorillas if they were exhibiting symptoms of sickness, should keep a distance of seven meters, and should turn aside in order to cough or sneeze.

As a result of the epidemic, the viewing distance between humans and gorillas increased to a distance of ten meters (32 inches). Masks are required to be worn by all visitors, rangers, and medical personnel in order to reduce the risk of respiratory infections being transmitted to gorillas. In addition to this, they are required to conduct a screening for symptoms, sterilize, and maintain a certain social distance.

Conservation groups such as the Center for Tropical and Public Health (CTPH), the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), Gorilla Doctors, the Max Planck Institute, and Bwindi Community Hospital collaborated to provide training to park workers in order to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections traveling from humans to gorillas.

A total of four hundred park employees were instructed to wear protective face masks, to practice proper hand hygiene, and to maintain an excellent viewing distance of ten meters. The rangers were provided with hand sanitizers and face masks made of an additional layer of fabric.

Before entering the forest, each individual was required to wash their hands, disinfect their footwear, and enable obligatory temperature tests. Additionally, they were required to allow temperature checks to be performed on them.

The same training was provided to one hundred nineteen community volunteers who were referred to as the Gorilla Guardians. Their purpose was to assist in herding mountain gorillas from community land to the park location.

There are a few days in each month when the activity takes place among habituated gorilla groups in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Additionally, the Gorilla Guardians were provided with regular loth face masks, hand sanitizers, liquid soap, and infrared thermometers that do not need touch.

At both the family and village level, behavior change communication was carried out by trained Village Health and Conservation Teams. The fact that they assist communities in adhering to public health operational norms in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 has led to an increase in the number of handwashing facilities that people have installed in their houses out of fear of catching the illness.

Together with the University of Washington and local health offices, the Uganda Virus Research Institute, the University of Madison-Wisconsin, and other collaborators, the Connecticut Department of Public Health is conducting COVID-19 tests on gorillas and individuals who interact with gorillas both within and outside of the park.

These operations have been generously financed by a large number of foreign donors, including the foreign Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Save the Species, the European Union, the British High Commission, and private benefactors.

The mountain gorillas of Uganda have been able to survive the Covid-19 outbreak because to all of the measures described above.

Community projects that promote sustainability

In addition, the lack of revenue from tourism constituted a danger to the existence of mountain gorillas. This is because the economic motivation for people to preserve mountain gorillas by avoiding accessing their environment in order to hunt infected individuals was eliminated. Furthermore, there was a decrease in the cash generated by tourists, which is essential for maintaining park activities, such as anti-poaching patrols.

By noting the fact that the advantages of minimizing illicit entrances into gorilla habitats exceeded the danger of infecting primates with COVID-19, the government decided to resume primate tourism at the end of September 2020.

This decision was made in response to the circumstance described above. It was also noticed that immunizations and rigorous adherence to standard operating procedures (which were addressed previously) have greatly decreased the danger of contracting the Covid-19 virus.

Residents in the surrounding areas were filled with optimism when Uganda’s gorilla parks were reopened in October of 2020. It helped to reduce the amount of poaching that occurred and provided cash that was used to assist law enforcement activities to protect gorillas and other animals.

Today, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from across the world have come together to support a number of community sustainability projects, such as the ‘Ready to Grow’ Program at CTPH and Gorilla Conservation Coffee.

Every single person who travels to Uganda for the purpose of gorilla trekking makes a contribution, in some form or another, to a community initiative that is designed to assist the people who live in the areas around gorilla parks.

Either by paying for accommodation that employs a local or by eating a meal consisting of fresh vegetables at a lodge that is located close to a gorilla park, it is possible to do so. Within the realm of community sustainability projects, gorilla conservation stands out as one of the most effective programs globally. It is possible that this is the single most important factor that contributed to the survival of Uganda’s mountain gorillas during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda Katland Safaris Ltd. provides you with the chance to encounter mountain gorillas in Uganda, contribute to primate conservation projects, and assist impoverished people in coping with life outside of national gorilla parks.

We tailor our gorilla trekking excursions to meet your specific financial requirements. These services include taking care of your lodging, transportation, food, and the logistics of the government organization. If you would want to discuss your gorilla trekking safari, please write us an email us about the matter. We will assist you in planning and provide you with a free rapid quotation.

Are there habituated mountain gorillas in Uganda?

Both Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are home to habituated mountain gorillas in Uganda. There are currently two semi-habituated gorilla families available for habituation experiences and 19 gorilla trekking families in Uganda that are completely acclimated to human presence.

The habituation of a wild gorilla family must come first in order to establish a gorilla trekking family. Depending on how the mountain gorillas adjust, the period required to complete gorilla habituation may take up to two years.

Only four hours are permitted to be spent with mountain gorillas for gorilla habituation, and one hour is permitted for gorilla trekking fun.

To determine whether Uganda has habituated mountain gorillas, we must first understand gorilla habituation.

Gorilla Habituation: What Is It?

The technique of acclimating a family of wild mountain gorillas to human presence without changing their character is known as “gorilla habituation.” The gorilla habituation process

comprises researchers and trackers who document the gorilla family and the characteristics of each individual.

When tourists are assigned to a specific gorilla family during gorilla trekking, they are informed of this information. In Uganda, gorilla trekking began in 1993 after the Mubare Gorilla family began the gorilla habituation process in the 1990s. The rest is history.

Experience with Gorilla Habituation?

Two gorilla families have been designated thus far for the gorilla habituation experience in the southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

In the gorilla habituation experience, you accompany a group of researchers and trackers to spend four hours with a family of semi-habituated gorillas in the wild. Gorilla habituation is permitted for a maximum of four tourists per day.

A gorilla habituation permit must be purchased from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Gorilla Habituation Permit?

It costs $1500 per person per trek for foreign nonresidents, $1000 for foreign residents, and 750,000shs for East African citizens to obtain a gorilla habituation permit.

Gorilla Permit Cost Inclusions and Exclusions
The following is included in the price of a gorilla permit:

Park admission costs.
safety when trekking for gorillas.
charge for research.
With the mountain gorillas for four hours.
services for ranger guides.
conservation of mountain gorillas.
assistance from the local community.
Transportation to the gorilla habituation site, gratuities, beverages, and any other personal belongings are not included in the cost of a gorilla permit.

Does Uganda Accept Instalments for Gorilla Permit Purchases?

The best course of action is to pay for your gorilla permit in full. You can, however, pay for this gorilla permit in 30% and 70% installments.

You must buy your gorilla permit 90 days prior to the gorilla habituation date in order to be eligible for an installment purchase. If you don’t renew your gorilla habituation permit within ninety days of the gorilla trekking date, you may be penalized.

Gorilla trekking: what is it?

Following a completely habituated gorilla family in the wild and spending just one hour with them is known as gorilla trekking. To see the mountain gorillas on the trekking safari, you need to buy a gorilla permit.

What is the cost of a Ugandan gorilla trekking permit?

The cost of a gorilla trekking permit is 300000shs for East African citizens, $700 for foreign residents, and $800 for foreign nonresidents.

An hour with the mountain gorillas, park entrance fees, conservation assistance for the gorillas, support for the local community, and ranger guide services are all included in the price of a gorilla trekking permit.

Tips, transportation, lodging, snacks, and any other personal belongings are not included in the price of a gorilla permit.

katland Safaris makes it easy for our customers to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime experience by organizing gorilla safari packages. We make reservations for lodging, car rentals, and other safari extras that enhance a visitor’s gorilla safari experience.

Where in Uganda might one locate habituated mountain gorillas?

As shown below, each of the two gorilla parks in Uganda where gorilla safaris are conducted—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park—has its own habituated gorilla family.

Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi

There are eighteen completely habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park that are accessible to tourists. This enormous forest was split up into four gorilla trekking regions for administrative reasons:

The northern region of Buhoma
The Eastern region of Ruhija
The region of Rushaga
The southern region of Nkuringo
Area-specific gorilla permits are restricted for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Every region has gorilla families that are completely habituated, such as

The Mubare family, also known as Group M, the Rushegura family, popularly known as Group R, and the Habinyanja family, also known as Group H, are found in the Buhoma area of Northern Bwindi Forest. The Uganda Wildlife Authority habituated several of these gorilla families early on.

As of right now, the Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro, and Mukisa families reside in the Ruhija area of Eastern Bwindi Forest.

Southern Bwindi Forest’s Rushaga area is home to the Busingye, Bweza, Mucunguzi, Kahungye, Nshongi, Rwigi, and Mishaya families.

The Nkuringo, Muhozi, and Christmas families are all found in the Nkuringo region of the southern Bwindi forest.

Keep in mind that since gorilla habituation is being conducted in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the number of gorilla families is continually growing.

For the purpose of gorilla habituation, two gorilla families in the southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park have been split up. Before being permitted to take part in this expedition, each participant must get a gorilla habituation permit.

Park in Mgahinga National

There is currently only one gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park that is accustomed to human visitors. It was difficult to reserve gorilla permits in advance because this family of primates used to migrate into Rwanda. The only gorilla family that is habituated in Mgahinga National Park is the Nyakagezi family.

The briefing for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park is held at the Ntebeko Visitor Center.

Other primates found in the park include olive baboons, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, golden and blue monkeys, and others.

How Do I Reserve a Ugandan Gorilla Permit?

You can book a gorilla permit by following the steps below, whether you’re going gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation.

Choose the date you want to engage in habituation or gorilla trekking. The date and the quantity of individuals you want to go on this African trip with may be confirmed or tentative.

It should be noted that eight people per gorilla family is the maximum number permitted for gorilla trekking, while four people per gorilla family is the maximum for gorilla habituation.

Wait for a response whether you ask katland Safaris if gorilla permits are available for the dates you have selected or if you inquire directly with the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority’s gorilla permit availability list is used by our safari consultant to verify availability. One of the recognized safari operators authorized by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to acquire gorilla permits is katland Safaris.

Send your passport information, including your full name as it appears on the document, country, birthdate, passport expiration date, and other facts, so that it can be included to your gorilla permit card.

How old can you be to go on a gorilla safari in Uganda?

The minimum age to embark on a gorilla safari in Uganda is 15. The volcanic nature of the region’s geography is the source of this. You should anticipate hiking across various peaks and plateaus where mountain gorillas occasionally spend a portion of the day.

If the mountain gorillas are relaxing on the slopes of these highlands, it might be difficult for kids younger than this to hike to them.

Because mountain gorillas enjoy roaming the jungle, it takes some patience to do gorilla trekking or habituation; occasionally, the mountain gorillas move quite quickly, making the gorilla journey take longer. Gorilla hikers under the age of 15 may find this difficult to endure.

Because of their stature and dark fur, mountain gorillas can make you feel a little more apprehensive. The mountain gorillas may become agitated and flee into hiding if you respond suspiciously in front of them. Children under the age of fifteen find it difficult to control this kind of reaction, which might result in a loud outcry that could frighten the mountain gorillas and cause them to flee into hiding.

How Much Does a Gorilla Safari in Uganda Cost?

Whether going on a gorilla trek or a habituation experience, the first expense of a Ugandan gorilla safari is the gorilla permit. Whether choosing the premium, mid-range, or budget packages, the gorilla permit fees are the same.

When determining a gorilla safari package, other elements to take into account are:

As the number of persons participating in a gorilla safari increases, the cost per person decreases. You are responsible for any gorilla safari expenses if you are traveling alone.

The best time to reserve a gorilla safari is during the busiest times of the year, when service companies raise their rates. The price of the gorilla safari can occasionally be reduced by offering travelers discounts during the off-peak months.

Number of days on a gorilla safari: The cost of a gorilla safari increases with the number of days.

Other activities that can be combined with gorilla trekking include game drives, launch expeditions, chimpanzee trekking, and others.

When can I anticipate returning from my trip with gorilla trekking or habitat?

Depending on how long it takes to find the mountain gorillas, returning from gorilla habituation or trekking is variable. While some visitors spend more time in the forest, others have been fortunate enough to spot the mountain gorillas within two hours.

Only one hour is permitted to spend time with the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking after they have been located. You are permitted to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas during gorilla habituation.

When you hope to find the mountain gorillas depends on the speed of the party you are gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation with.

A gorilla family may break up or some members may lose their lives in combat when they fight. The gorilla family feels depressed as a result, which can drive them to the park’s more remote areas.

There may be a delay in finding the mountain gorillas if the dominant silverback is an adventurous member of the gorilla family, forcing the other members to follow his pastime and continue to move through the jungle.

The trails are slick and wet from the constant rains that fall throughout the extreme rainy season, which typically lasts from March to May and November. However, less sunlight can reach the ground during this time.

What are Uganda’s gorilla safari regulations?

Gorilla trekking is limited to one hour, and four hours are permitted with the mountain gorillas once you have located them for gorilla habituation. They are accustomed to spending only that amount of time with people, leaving them to carry out their daily tasks.
It is prohibited to eat or smoke before seeing mountain gorillas. To prevent them from being tempted to steal what you are eating, please do this at least 300 meters away from them. Since they are untamed creatures, they have to look for nourishment.
Due to the nature of the gorilla trekking environment, only youngsters aged 15 and over are permitted to participate. Due to their travel, the best time to locate the mountain gorillas is still up in the air.
It is prohibited to spit on the ground or foliage since this could infect mountain gorillas with pathogens. Mountain gorillas are susceptible to human infectious diseases such as cholera, flu, cough, and COVID-19.
Volunteer to stay behind if you have a contagious illness so that the mountain gorillas are not exposed to such illnesses. It is unknown how widespread this sickness could be and how many mountain gorillas it could kill.
Wearing a clean mask prior to seeing mountain gorillas is one of the precautions taken to stop the COVID-19 virus and other pathogens from infecting the primates.
To stop any infection from spreading, keep a minimum of 8 meters between you and the mountain gorillas when you find them.
In order to avoid frightening the mountain gorillas, it is prohibited to make loud noises in the jungle. They are vulnerable to strange noises around them.
Since mountain gorillas may hide from strange light, flash photography is not allowed when taking pictures.
Because it changes the environment in which mountain gorillas live, it is prohibited to throw trash into the forest during gorilla trekking.

Planning a gorilla trekking holiday for your family in Uganda and Rwanda

Are you organizing a family vacation that includes gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda? Prioritize booking the gorilla permits. In Rwanda and Uganda, gorilla trekking vacations are only available to those who are at least 15 years old. Planning how many days you want to spend on a gorilla safari vacation in Rwanda or Uganda is the best course of action.

While a two-day gorilla trekking safari in Rwanda is appropriate, a three-day gorilla safari in Uganda is the minimum duration. Let’s say you want to mix gorilla trekking with other pursuits, such as game drives, birding safaris, chimpanzee trekking, etc. If so, you should think about when you and your family will go on your African safari.

Planning a gorilla trekking vacation with the family is a great way to make memories that will last a lifetime. Mountain gorillas are a perfect representation of human families, with the dominant silverback serving as the head of the family.

When you go on a gorilla safari vacation, I’m confident you’ll encounter a family member who looks like you. It is simpler to be assigned to the same gorilla family to travel with if you reserve the gorilla trekking permits for the whole family in advance. Because the process for assigning gorilla families is dependent on factors like age and physical fitness, this is only occasionally guaranteed.

What is a vacation that include gorilla trekking?

You can spend an hour with a fully habituated gorilla family in the wild while on a gorilla trekking vacation. You need to have a Rwanda Development Board or Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla permit.

A gorilla permit: what is it?

A gorilla permit is a card or paperwork that grants you access to trekking locations. Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are two of Uganda’s gorilla trekking sites. Tourists can reserve 152 gorilla permits for Uganda’s 19 gorilla families every day.

Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s gorilla habitat, and 15 families are available for tourists to reserve. You can reserve 96 gorilla permits in Rwanda per day.

How can a family gorilla trekking vacation in Rwanda and Uganda be organized?

Determine the Best Places in Uganda to Go Gorilla Trekking
Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi

There are several gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to which you may be assigned.

What are the 18 gorilla families who have reservations in four separate locations, each with a different kind of lodging?

The Buhoma area in the north, the Ruhija area in the east, the Rushaga area, and the Nkuringo area in the south are the areas that are used to get gorilla permits for the Bwindi forest.

Chimpanzees, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, L” Honest’s, and other primates are among the approximately nine additional species of primates that inhabit this biosphere reserve.

Over 350 different bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, can be found at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, making it a great place for any avid birdwatcher. Birders’ paradise in the Ruhija section of Bwindi forest, particularly at Mubwindi wetland. Among the birds you might see are the Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, African Hill Babblers, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, and Mountain Masked Apalises.

Park in Mgahinga National

The smallest Ugandan national park, Mgahinga, is only 33.7 square kilometers in size, although it does have some mountain gorillas. The Nyakagezi family is the only gorilla family that is accessible to tourists.

Due to the gorilla family’s history of relocating to Rwanda, obtaining permits was difficult. The Nyakagezi gorilla family’s existence determined the sale of the gorilla permits.

The list now includes about 115 bird species that have been identified in Mgahinga National Park, but it is anticipated to grow as the area has not received much attention from ornithologists.

Other primates that are of interest to primatologists include olive baboons, black and white colobus, golden monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys in Mgahinga National Park.

Three unique mountains—Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo—backdrop Mgahinga National Park. An 8-hour return hike to one of these mountains is a good way to gauge your level of fitness.

In the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda

With 15 gorilla families available for tourists, this park is Rwanda’s only gorilla trekking destination. Rwanda’s northwest contains Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda gorilla permits are sold and governed by the Rwanda Development Board.

Five volcanoes—Mountain Karisimbi, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, and Mountain Sabyinyo—backdrop the landscape of Volcanoes National Park.

Other primates, such as olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, and blue monkeys, can be found in Volcanoes National Parks.

Enthusiastic birdwatchers can see a range of bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift, while gorilla trekking. Alpine Chat, Malachite Sunbird, Montane Double-collared Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, and more bird species can be found in Volcanoes National Park.

Get a permit to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda.
Because gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda requires participants to be at least 15 years old, take their age into account when reserving gorilla permits for your family.

How to Reserve Gorilla Permits

Ask the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a recognized travel agency, such as katland Safaris, about the availability of gorilla permits. If you want to go gorilla trekking, you must have a tentative or confirmed day in mind.

We urge our clients to buy their gorilla permits as soon as possible if there is a positive availability. This is because they only have a maximum of eight gorilla licenses per gorilla family and sell out quickly due to great demand worldwide.

Since gorilla permits are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, none are guaranteed without payment in advance.

in your gorilla permits, include personal information such as your country, date of birth, expiration date, and the full names of your family members as listed in your passport.

After you finish the gorilla walk, these details are put to your certificate and utilized for record-keeping.

Determine How Many Days the Family Will Spend on the Gorilla Trekking Vacation
The minimum duration for gorilla trekking in Rwanda is two days during a gorilla safari vacation. The minimum duration for a gorilla trekking expedition in Uganda is three days.

Five-gorilla trekking, six-gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, eight-gorilla, chimpanzee, wildlife safari, and other activities are available.

The number of days you have scheduled to spend in the forest will determine how long your family’s gorilla safari vacation lasts.

To create an unforgettable experience, we at katland Safaris customize gorilla safari packages to meet the needs of our customers. We recognize that for the majority of visitors to Africa, gorilla trekking is at the top of their bucket list, and we want to make it an unforgettable Africa Safari experience that fits within your budget.

For many families, taking travels together creates enduring memories.

Make reservations for lodging for the gorilla trekking expedition.
You must make reservations for lodging inside or near the trekking park when you get a gorilla permit. The lodging options available for the gorilla trekking vacation are categorized as luxury, mid-range, and cheap. The best deal for lodging on a family vacation would be to reserve a family room or adjacent rooms.

You must schedule lodging near the locations where your gorilla permit is registered if you plan to do gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Due to its enormous size, this park is divided into four areas: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo. You have to drive at night to make it to the early morning briefing when you spend the night somewhere else. Because of the frequent rains in this area, logs can occasionally block off the roadways or make them slick, making this extremely dangerous.

Due to great demand, these parks’ lodgings are completely booked throughout the busiest months of June, July, August, September, December, and January. Your family’s lodging must be reserved in advance.

Depending on your destination, you can reserve a variety of lodging options for gorilla trekking, such as:

Clouds Lodge is the lodging option for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rihija Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi View Bandas, Engage Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Trakker’s Tarven, and Broadbiil Camp

Accommodations at Mgahinga National Park include Majambere Iwachu, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Traveler’s Inn, Gahinga Lodge, and Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle.

Accommodations in Volcanoes National Park include Hotel La Palme, Kinigi Guest House, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, and Hotel Mille Collines.

Make Transportation Reservations for Gorilla Trekking
You and your family should be aware of the mode of transportation you intend to employ for the gorilla trekking expedition. Depending on your financial situation, you can either take the road or the air.

You can rent a safari car or safari van for your family to go by road; it should be roomy and cozy enough to accommodate all of your belongings. Because of the volcanic road conditions in the Virunga region, you will need to rent a 4×4 wheel drive car with a window seat for at least everyone. You need a comfy car for the rough roads, whether you’re in Rwanda or Uganda.

Air transportation for the whole family to go gorilla trekking

Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi to Kihihi Airstrip or Kisoro Airstrip are the destinations of daily domestic flights in Uganda. You must reserve additional seats in advance of your Ugandan gorilla safari vacation if you require them.

Gorilla Safari offers charter flight services from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip.

To go to Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from the airport, you need to reserve a transfer car.

There are charter flights to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park from Kigali airport.

Reserve flights to Rwanda or Uganda internationally. It can be really stressful to plan a vacation trip with family in advance. To ensure that no one is left behind if they are a member of the gorilla trekking group, you must purchase your airline tickets in advance.

To make sure you have everything you need to enter the bush, it is advisable to go to Rwanda or Uganda before the start of the gorilla safari. Make sure that everyone in the family has their gorilla trekking equipment ready. Buy some gorilla trekking equipment from the nearby malls if you still need it.

When Is The Best Time For The Family To Reserve Gorilla Permits?

To avoid last-minute hassles attempting to locate availability, you can obtain the family gorilla permits at least six months to a year before the day of trekking. Gorilla permits in Rwanda and Uganda sell out quickly during the busiest travel seasons. June, July, August, September, December, and January are the busiest travel seasons.

What distinguishes Rwandan and Ugandan gorilla trekking?

Whether traveling to Rwanda or Uganda, a gorilla trekking safari is an incredible experience. Standing in front of the mountain gorillas is a life-altering experience that can completely erase the hardships you may have endured to organize the family gorilla safari.

The following are some ways that gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda differs:

The price of a gorilla permit
Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per hike, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person.

The number of families of gorillas
Recently, Rwanda has had 15 gorilla trekking families with 96 gorilla permits, compared to 19 gorilla trekking families with 152 permits in Uganda.

Activities that are optional In addition to Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking in Uganda can be combined with a number of other activities, such as chimpanzee trekking, game drives, white water rafting, sport fishing, exploring the Nile River’s source, and launch trips.

There aren’t many other activities in Rwanda that you may combine with gorilla trekking, such as game drives, chimpanzee trekking, and trips to Rwanda’s genocide monument.

Travel time by car from the airport to the locations of gorilla trekking
It takes roughly three hours to drive over picturesque winding roads from Kigali airport to Volcanoes National Park. It takes roughly eight to nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park via dusty, uneven country roads.

You can go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through Rwanda to cut down on the amount of time you need to drive there. It takes roughly five to six hours to drive there.

What Are Rwandan and Ugandan Gorilla Trekking Dos and Don’ts?

Because mountain gorillas are particularly vulnerable to illnesses like the flu and cough, offer to stay behind if you have one of these contagious illnesses.
To lessen the possibility of spreading an infection through direct touch, keep a distance of roughly 8 meters from the mountain gorillas when you find them.
Garbage dumping in the forest is prohibited because it changes the environment, which is home to mountain gorillas.
During gorilla trekking, avoid spitting on plants or the ground as this could infect the mountain gorillas.
Because of the characteristics of the area where mountain gorillas reside, gorilla trekking is only permitted for youngsters who are at least 15 years old.
All fecal contents should be buried in a 30-centimeter hole and completely covered.
Once you find the mountain gorillas, you are only permitted to spend an hour with them.

New year’s gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

You must reserve your gorilla permit in advance if you want to spend the New Year hiking gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda. The gorilla permits sell out quickly since this is the busiest time of year for safaris. Making reservations for lodging for the gorilla safari is also essential because there are fewer options available as the new year approaches.

As the year is still very early, meeting the mountain gorillas on New Year’s offers you time to think about your goals. Being silent or speaking quietly in the jungle is a need of gorilla trekking, which gives you time to reflect on yourself.

Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are peaceful locations where you can only hear the sounds of the jungle. Listen to your inner self and sketch out your goals for the year at the beginning of the new year.

The Virunga region provides a lovely setting for you to plan your life for the upcoming year.

Where in Uganda Can I Go Gorilla Trekking?

Impenetrable National Park in Bwindi
Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, and blue monkeys are among the roughly ten primates that inhabit this environment. The extensive list of plants and animals has grown over 30,000 years.

More than 300 tree species, 88 moths, 51 reptiles, 350 bird species, 310 butterflies, and other flora and wildlife may be found in Bwindi Forest.

You must be aware of the location of your gorilla permit reservation in order to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Buhoma area, Ruhija area, Rushaga area, and Nkuringo area are the four divisions of this enormous national park.

You must first be aware of where your gorilla permit is booked in order to make reservations for lodging when gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This reduces the possibility of waking up in the middle of the night to drive from one location to another in order to attend a briefing.

Park in Mgahinga National
The far southwest of Uganda is home to Mgahinga National Park. Because it receives fewer visitors, this forested national park is one of Uganda’s still-unexplored national parks. Some of the world’s most renowned mountain gorillas can be found in Mgahinga National Park. Currently, just one gorilla family is accessible to the general public. The Nyakagezi gorilla family, which has a history of straying into Rwanda, is housed at Mgahinga National Park.

Booking gorilla permits for Mgahinga National Park used to be difficult because it depended on the mountain gorillas’ presence.

Other primates found in the park include olive baboons, black and white colobus, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, golden monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.

This park’s rocky mountains, such as Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabyinyo, and Mountain Muhavura, provide a stunning backdrop. You can hike for roughly eight hours back and forth in a single day.

Where in Rwanda Can I Go Gorilla Trekking?

The National Park of Volcanoes
Volcanoes National Park is located in Rwanda’s northwest. Currently, there are 15 completely habituated mountain gorilla families in this park that are accessible for gorilla trekking.

Because of the five mountains that make up this park, its topography is steeper and more volcanic. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo are some of these mountains.

More primates, including olive baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus, golden and blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and others, can be found at the Volcanoes National Park, according to primatologists.

Volcanoes National Park is home to more than 300 bird species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift. You can combine Rwandan birdwatching with a double gorilla trekking experience during this safari vacation.

The Handsome Francolin, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Malachite Sunbird, Kivu Ground Thrush, White Tailed Blue Fly Catcher, and other birds can be seen in Volcanoes National Park.

How and Where Do I Reserve Rwandan and Ugandan Gorilla Permits?

Uganda gorilla permits can be purchased on your behalf by an authorized tour operator, however they are sold by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The Rwanda Development Board oversees and sells Rwanda gorilla permits. These gorilla permits can also be purchased via a recognized travel agency.

The process for reserving gorilla permits
Since January 1st is always New Year’s, you might ask the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a tour operator if gorilla permits are available. You can make reservations for your gorilla walk based on the number of gorillas.

The Rwanda Development Board and Uganda Wildlife Authority lists are used by our safari consultant to verify availability. One of the authorized businesses with access to the list of gorilla permits in Rwanda and Uganda is katland Safaris.

We urge our clients to buy their gorilla permits as soon as possible when the availability of permits is confirmed. This is because their first-come, first-served policy causes them to sell out quickly.

Without payment, none of the gorilla permits are obtained.

Provide personal information such as the passport’s full name, nationality, birthdate, and expiration date.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Gorilla Permit In Rwanda And Uganda?

For treks in Uganda, the cost of a gorilla permit is $800 per person, $700 per person, and 300,000 shs for citizens of East Africa.

The cost of a Rwandan gorilla permit is $1500 per trekper.

It’s crucial to reserve your gorilla permit in advance, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through January. In Rwanda and Uganda, this is the busiest travel time of year. The majority of service providers, including lodging and driver guides, raise their rates at this time of year.

What Does It Cost To Get A Gorilla Permit In Rwanda And Uganda?

An hour with the mountain gorillas, park admission costs, security throughout the trip, assistance for the protection of the mountain gorillas, support for the local people, and a certificate upon completion of the journey are all included in the price of a gorilla permit.

What Does the Gorilla Permit Cost Exclude?

Porter, beverages, snacks, transportation, gratuities, and other personal belongings.

you relieve you of the hassle of organizing this safari package, katland Safaris helps you put together your gorilla trekking package.

We’ve been planning safaris in Uganda and Rwanda for more than ten years, and the feedback we’ve received from customers has helped us keep improving. We have excellent working relationships with lodging establishments, and where appropriate, we may obtain lower rates for our customers.

Can I get Rwandan and Ugandan gorilla permits for the new year in installments?

The simplest way to make sure you don’t forget to top up your gorilla permit is to pay for it in full.

30% and 70% of gorilla permit installments are accepted in Rwanda and Uganda, respectively. Installment gorilla permit purchases are only available to visitors who buy their permits 90 days prior to the gorilla trekking date.

Remember to renew your gorilla permit ninety days prior to the gorilla trekking date, or else you risk being penalized.

What Month Is Best For Buying Rwandan And Ugandan New Year Gorilla Permits?

It is preferable to buy your permit for January 1st at least 6 months in advance because the New Year is a joyous celebration that many people prepare for as early as the beginning of the year.

Due to the high demand for gorilla safaris throughout the holiday season, permits are only available for a maximum of eight gorilla families per day.

Not even on the ground, last-minute gorilla permits for the new year are difficult to obtain since they might wish to create memories that will last all year. Gorilla trekking offers the opportunity to spend time with some of the world’s few remaining mountain gorillas, making it more than just a typical monkey safari experience.

Can I reschedule my gorilla permit for Rwanda or Uganda for the new year?

Both Rwanda and Uganda have rescheduling policies that allow for the rescheduling of gorilla permits.

You must send a letter to the Rwanda Development Board or the Uganda Wildlife Authority asking to reschedule your gorilla permit. If you have a gorilla trekking date in mind, explain why you would like to change it. To support your request, include some details.

Upon approval, your gorilla permit is rescheduled to the date of your choice, subject to availability.

Take note
Two free gorilla permit rescheduling times are accepted by Uganda. Only the third time, with a 25% penalty, does the executive director approve.

Rwanda charges for the rescheduling of gorilla permits.

Between Rwanda and Uganda, which country is the best for gorilla trekking in the new year?
You forget the hassles of planning a gorilla safari in Rwanda or Uganda the moment you are in front of the mountain gorillas.

Additional elements to take into account while comparing gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda are as follows:

The price of a gorilla permit

Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per trek, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person every trek.

The quantity of gorilla families

Rwanda has 15 gorilla trekking families with 96 gorilla licenses thus far, compared to 19 gorilla families in Uganda with 152 gorilla permits.

Other Things to Do Along With Gorilla Trekking

Chimpanzee trekking, game drives, exploring the Nile River’s source, white water rafting, and other activities are among the many activities available in Uganda that can be combined with gorilla trekking.

In addition to gorilla trekking, Rwanda offers a few additional optional activities, such as chimpanzee trekking, Rwandan cultural tours, and visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Travel Time Between Airport and Gorilla Trekking Locations

While it takes roughly three hours to drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park, it takes over nine hours to go from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga National Park.

Rwanda offers gorilla trekking in Uganda; it takes roughly five to six hours to get from Kigali to either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Since both nations are part of the East African community, you can enter them using an East African visa. You can enter Uganda from Rwanda by crossing the Gatuna or Cyanika borders.

How Challenging Is It to Gorilla Trek in Rwanda or Uganda?

The terrain where gorilla trekking takes place is volcanic, with lush vegetation covering the slopes and plateaus. Due to the deep canopy’s restricted ability to let sunlight through, the earth becomes extremely damp and soggy during the intense rainy seasons.

The intricate system of waterways occasionally overflows, creating muddy paths that are difficult to traverse. Even the fallen vegetation’s rotting materials could make the path slick. It would be ideal to have safari boots to prevent injuries to your feet.

Finding the mountain gorillas on the slopes where they occasionally eat or relax is made easier if you are somewhat fit.

Bring the appropriate gorilla trekking equipment to keep you safe from the severe forest conditions and to support you during the entire walk.

How to Act While Trekking with Gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda

To avoid giving the mountain gorillas the impression that you are ambushing them, stay close together when you find them. The mountain gorillas become agitated by this and might go into hiding.
Following the coronavirus pandemic, it is crucial to wear a mask and sanitize your shoes before beginning the gorilla journey.
It is not permissible to spit on plants or the ground because you could infect the mountain gorillas.
Volunteer to stay behind if you have a contagious illness, such as the flu, COVID-19, or a cough, to prevent the mountain gorillas from contracting it. They might die horribly as a result.
To avoid spreading any infectious diseases to the mountain gorillas, keep a distance of approximately 8 meters when you are in close proximity to them. Retrench gradually without appearing suspicious as they get closer.
Avoid using a spotlight when photographing mountain gorillas since it could frighten them. New events in their presence frighten them.
Ask the ranger guide for help digging a hole approximately 30 cm deep and covering it completely if you need to defecate.
Because you could not understand what you are saying, it is prohibited to provoke and imitate mountain gorillas.
Be at least 300 meters away from the mountain gorillas if you want to feed or smoke in front of them. Because mountain gorillas are wild creatures that must forage for food, this will lessen the likelihood that they will take it from you and become dependent on you.
Gorilla trekking is restricted to hikers who are at least 15 years old.
Once you find the mountain gorillas, you get an hour to spend with them.

New Year’s Gorilla Habituation Experience In Uganda

A once-in-a-lifetime African safari experience is going on a gorilla habituation safari in Uganda’s hazy, beautiful woodland on New Year’s Day. You have time to think about the year’s outlook while on the gorilla habituation safari for the new year. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park gives you plenty of leisure and a refreshing environment to sketch your ideal life in the coming year. In the company of researchers and habituators, you get to spend more time with a family of semi-habituated mountain gorillas.

The southern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is where gorillas acquire habituation. For this safari excursion, two gorilla families have been reserved thus far. The researchers and trackers are only permitted to have a maximum of four tourists with them.

Gorilla Habituation Experience: What Is It?

A gorilla habituation safari is an excursion in which you spend four hours with a family of semi-habituated mountain gorillas.

Researchers and trackers employ a technique called “gorilla habituation” to acclimate a family of wild mountain gorillas to people without changing their natural characteristics. This is what happens before a gorilla trekking family is formed. Because it relies on how the gorilla family reacts to human presence, the length of gorilla habituation is uncertain. It could take up to two years for gorillas to become habituated.

To take advantage of this experience, you must have a gorilla habituation permit.

A Gorilla Habituation Permit: What Is It?

The gorilla habituation permit is a Uganda Wildlife Authority card that serves as a ticket for access to a gorilla safari and is imprinted with a visitor’s information.

Only four gorilla habituation licenses are now available for public booking in Uganda, despite the Uganda Wildlife Authority selling permits daily. Eight gorilla permits are now available for gorilla habituation in Uganda.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Ugandan Gorilla Habituation Permit?

Foreign nonresidents must pay $1500 per person per trek for a gorilla habituation permit in Uganda, while foreign residents must pay $1000 and East African residents must pay 750,000shs.

To prevent last-minute scrambling to get a gorilla habituation permit, you can reserve one for New Year’s at least six months in advance. Last-minute New Year gorilla permits are difficult to obtain because of fierce competition, particularly during the final quarter of the year.

What Does the Price of a Gorilla Habituation Permit Include?

Security during gorilla habituation, researcher and ranger guide fees, four hours of mountain gorilla tracking, a 24-hour park entrance charge, local community support, and gorilla conservation support are all included in the price of Uganda gorilla habituation permits.

What Does the Price of Gorilla Habituation Permits Not Include?

Porter charge. A porter is someone who assists you with carrying your belongings throughout the gorilla hike and provides encouragement when needed. Advice, accommodations for gorilla habituation, and any other personal belongings.

katland Safaris will help you customize your gorilla habituation package and arrange for the rental car, lodging, driver guide fees, and other safari amenities that enhance this experience. For more information on the gorilla habituation experience in Uganda, get in touch with us.

Does a Gorilla Habituation Permit Cost Enough?

A gorilla permit costs $1500 per person, but it’s well worth the price. According to a census conducted by American primatologist Dian Fossey in the 1980s, mountain gorillas were on the verge of extinction. You get to help save them. Due of their predicament, mountain gorillas are now listed as one of the world’s most endangered primates.

Four hours of additional time spent with the mountain gorillas is yours to enjoy. In order to provide trekkers with information after the gorilla family is officially confirmed for gorilla trekking, researchers may ask you to record notes based on your observations.

There is ample time for four hours spent with the mountain gorillas if you are interested in recording and taking pictures of them. You have enough room to capture the most amazing photos and unique moments of the mountain gorillas, even if only a maximum of four people are permitted to accompany the team of habituators.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience worth investing your hard-earned cash in is gorilla habituation.

During Habituation, How Aggressive Are Mountain Gorillas?

Despite having semi-habituated mountain gorillas, gorilla families that are open for gorilla habituation are the most violent. Despite their frightening attitude, mountain gorillas are peaceful in the wild. Mountain gorillas are physically distinguished by their dark coats, deep brown eyes, and knuckle-to-knuckle gait.

Seeing the mountain gorillas is frightful and can make you feel a little more energized, but you must not display this emotion. In front of the mountain gorillas, you might appear suspicious. These primates pay close attention to everything you do because they are afraid of space invaders.

Mountain gorillas can hoot, bang their chests violently, walk on one foot, drag grass about them, and do a lot more when they’re upset.

Note that no one has ever been assaulted by mountain gorillas in the history of gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation. To fully enjoy your time with the mountain gorillas, you must adhere to the guidelines provided by the researchers and trackers during the briefing.

When Do You Go Back After Habituating a Gorilla?

Since gorillas are highly mobile primates with nothing limiting them in the wild, it is difficult to determine the return period from habituation. Even the time it takes to find the mountain gorillas varies depending on many forest conditions, such as how close the food source is. While some visitors have been fortunate enough to track mountain gorillas in just two hours, others have gone farther.

Mountain gorillas may have to relocate to the deeper forest ends if they fight, which would prolong the time it takes for them to get habituated.

If you need to track the mountain gorillas from the slopes, you will have to hike on the slick ground during the intense rainy season.

Tracing the gorillas becomes challenging when a member of the gorilla family, particularly the dominant silverback, dies.

It takes a certain amount of patience to get through the gorillas’ habituation process. You can reach the slopes and the deep valley where the mountain gorillas might be by using your fitness level alone.

How Much Does a New Year’s Gorilla Habituation Safari Cost?

Depending on the package you select, the gorilla habituation safari expenses might range from luxury to mid-range to low-cost.

Because gorilla habitat permits are so expensive, you should think of them as an essential expense on this Ugandan safari.

When calculating the cost of gorilla habituation, other elements are taken into account.

The Length of Time Spent on Gorilla Safari

The cost of a gorilla safari increases with the number of days because service providers charge by the day.

Travelers on the Gorilla Habituation Tour

Group travel with Gorilla Safari allows you to split some expenses, such as gas, driver guide fees, and car rental. As a lone traveler on a gorilla habituation safari, you are responsible for all safari expenses.

The number of things you can do in addition to gorilla trekking

The cost of a safari increases with the number of activities you include in addition to gorilla trekking in Uganda, such as game drives, white water rafting, and chimpanzee trekking.

When to Make a Gorilla Habituation Safari Reservation

Since the new year is Uganda’s busiest travel season, most service providers demand exorbitant prices.

How secure is the experience of gorilla habitat?

Because each group of tourists visiting the gorilla habitat is accompanied by a qualified ranger, the area in which the mountain gorillas reside is safe. To preserve peace and order in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the ranger guides collaborate with other Ugandan security services.

You should be mindful of your personal safety and avoid going into the forest without a ranger guide to accompany you. Keep in mind that not everyone who lives in a forest is accustomed.

You should never let strangers into your lodge room because they might be pickpockets or thieves.

For your time in the forest, dress comfortably in the appropriate gorilla habituation gear.

How to Travel by Road to Bwindi’s Gorilla Habituation Experience Area

The route from Kampala to Kabale to Nkuringo is an option. A 414-kilometer travel from Kampala or Entebbe to Kabale is followed by a 105-kilometer drive to the Nkuringo region. This region is located in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s southern part. The travel from Kabale to the Nkuringo region takes about four hours.

About 80 kilometers from Kabale, near the village of Kisoro, some tourists spend the night. You may drive 35 kilometers in 1 and a half hours from Kisoro town.

AIR

Domestic flights to Kisoro depart daily from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip. You can then rent a shuttle car to get to your lodge.

If necessary, charter flights are offered from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip.

How Does the Gorilla Habituation Experience Go?

Expect some wild behaviors from the mountain gorillas, such as hooting at you and withdrawing into the deeper forest, as they are semi-habituated. Observe the instructions provided at the briefing and the advice of the experts based on the mountain gorillas’ behavior.

If the mountain gorillas spend their time here grazing and relaxing, you might have to go to the messy plateaus and ridges.

There is little sunlight able to reach the deep, hazy canopy of Bwindi Forest.

Because the Bwindi forest is a tropical rainforest with significant humidity, expect rain at any time of year.

As many tourists as possible can follow a group of habituators, you share your gorilla habituation adventure with other travelers.

What Are Uganda’s Gorilla Habituation Guidelines?

The following rules were implemented in order to save the mountain gorillas.
Going on a gorilla habituation trip is prohibited for anyone who has a contagious illness. Because mountain gorillas’ DNA is roughly 96% that of humans, you could infect them.
When you find the mountain gorillas, keep close to them rather than around them. They feel ambushed when surrounded.
Keep a distance of roughly 8 meters from the mountain gorillas once you’ve found them. in order to reduce the possibility of infecting these primates.
Before beginning the gorilla journey, clean your shoes and put on a fresh mask when you see the mountain gorillas.
Flash photography is prohibited due to the possibility of frightening the mountain gorillas. Unknown events in their environment terrify these primates.
It is prohibited to provoke or imitate mountain gorillas since you do not comprehend their message.
The mountain gorillas might be enticed to eat from you if you smoke or dine in front of them. They must not be dependent on human sustenance because they are wild creatures.
To reduce the possibility of spreading viruses to these gentle giants, if you must cough or sneeze, do so away from the mountain gorillas.
Request that the ranger guide dig a hole for you that is at least 30 cm deep and completely bury everything.
The forest where mountain gorillas live and feed is changed when trash is dumped there. Even indecomposable trash can be consumed by forest inhabitants, which will ultimately result in their demise.
Spitting on plants or the ground is unsanitary and can spread diseases and germs to mountain gorillas.
Because of the characteristics of the environment in which mountain gorillas reside, gorilla habituation is only permitted for individuals who are at least 15 years old.
Avoid creating noise that could frighten the mountain gorillas. Strange sounds in their environment terrify these primates.
When you find the mountain gorillas during the gorilla habituation experience, you are only permitted to spend four hours with them.

What Can I Bring on a Habituation Safari with Gorillas?

Boots from Safari
Foldable safari hat
Warmers, such as a jacket or shawl
Toiletries
Repellant for insects
Gloves for gardening
Khaki and tan colored safari convertible pants and shirt
A duffel bag
A shoe bag
Water bottle that folds up
Additional batteries
Charger and travel adapter
A camera, some stockings, and some flip-flops
A few additional garments
Emergency medicine in a first aid kit
lightweight, water-resistant bag
If it suddenly starts to rain, have a poncho or raincoat.
A flashlight
If you need to make purchases on-site, you’ll need some hard cash to convert to local currency.

New Year’s gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Trekking with gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda and Uganda is a chance to expand your horizons this year. The peace and quiet of the Virunga region allows you to relax and forget about the hectic events of the previous year.

You may escape the bustle of the cities by spending some time in the peace and quiet of the chimpanzee habitats in Rwanda and Uganda. As you establish strategies, you can organize your hopes for the coming year and schedule time for yourself.

Because this is a holiday season and there is a cap on the number of permits sold per activity, make sure to reserve your gorilla and chimpanzee permits from Uganda and Rwanda well in advance. In Rwanda and Uganda, a gorilla family may only purchase a maximum of eight gorilla licenses per day. Each troop may only purchase a maximum of six chimpanzee hiking licenses per day.

All members of the gorilla trekking party must be qualified for the activity and receive a gorilla and chimpanzee permit. In Rwanda and Uganda, gorilla trekking is restricted to those who are at least 15 years old. Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda is restricted to those who are at least 15 years old.You must be aware of the locations for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda and Uganda.

Where in Rwanda and Uganda can I go gorilla trekking?

In Rwanda
The only gorilla trekking habitat in Rwanda is Volcanoes National Park, which is situated in the northwest of the nation. There are perhaps fifteen gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park that are available for reservations.

Other primates found in this park include olive baboons, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, golden and blue monkeys, and others.

Volcanoes National Park, which is home to more than 300 bird species, including Albertine endemics, is the only place in Rwanda to go birding. Archer’s Robin-Chat, Rwenzori Turaco, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Dusky Crimsonwing, and other birds are among the ones you might be able to recognize.

The park is beautifully framed by the stunning landscape that the five Virunga Volcanoes have produced. Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Bisoke, Mountain Karisimbi, and Mountain Sabyinyo are among these highlands.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda

The foggy Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwest Uganda is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna that have gathered throughout time. Approximately 18 gorilla families, including nearly half of all mountain gorillas worldwide, reside in this virgin woodland.

Over 310 butterfly species, 51 reptiles, 88 months, 300 trees, 10 primates, and 350 bird species—seven of which are on the IUCN Red List—are among the species that have been documented in this park thus far.

The diverse range of vegetation in Bwindi Forest, which includes lowland forest at elevations of roughly 1160 meters and Afromontane vegetation over 2700 meters, is astounding to the expanding list of wildlife and flora.

Park in Mgahinga National

One of the most striking parks is Mgahinga National Park, which is situated on the flanks of three volcanoes: Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Gahinga, and Mountain Sabyinyo. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only gorilla family now available for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park.

Since the Nyakagezi gorilla trekking family used to stray into Rwanda, gorilla trekking in this park has only ever been verified on the ground. Permits for Mgahinga National Park can be reserved in advance, and this gorilla family is now residing in Uganda.

In addition to golden and blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus, olive baboons, and others, Mgahinga National Park is a primate’s paradise.

Gorilla trekking in this park offers you two chances to spot a variety of birds, including endemic Albertine species. There are now 115 bird species known to exist in Mgahinga National Park, but more are anticipated to be added, according to ornithologists.

It is worthwhile to attempt the 8-hour climb back to the summits of Gahinga, Muhavura, and Sabyinyo. You may take in the breathtaking views of Mgahinga National Park’s recently added forest cover.

Chimpanzee trekking locations in Rwanda and Uganda
In Rwanda
National Park Nyungwe

The sole chimpanzee trekking habitat in Rwanda is Nyungwe National Park. Cyamudongo is another chimpanzee trekking habitat on the park’s edge. Expect some wild behavior from the semi-habituated chimpanzees at Nyungwe National Park.

Uwinka is home to Nyungwe National Park’s headquarters. Nyungwe National Park is roughly 230 kilometers from Kigali Airport, and it takes five hours to get there.

The Angola Colobus, Mona monkeys, blue monkeys, Dent’s Mona monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, silver monkeys, olive baboons, and other primates can be found in Nyungwe National Park.

With over 283 bird species—27 of which are endemic—and a large population of Albertine Rift endemics, Nyugwe Forest is a popular destination for avid birdwatchers on Rwanda Safari. The Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red Collared Mountain Babbler, Kivu Ground Thrush, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Red Throated Alethe, and other species may be seen at Nyugwe National Park.

Kibale National Park in Uganda

Uganda’s primate sanctuary is Kabale National Park, where the chimpanzees are the main attraction. It is estimated that Kibale National Park is home to more than 1500 chimpanzees. This park offers two chimpanzee trekking sessions: one in the morning at 08:00 and one in the afternoon at 1500.

Other primates that call this park home include potatoes, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, L’Hoests, black and white colobus, and bush babies.

There are currently 325 bird species and over six Albertine Rift endemics included on this park’s constantly growing bird list. When visiting Kabale National Park, birdwatchers choose to visit the Bigodi wetland in Magombe swamp. The Yellow Spotted Nicator, Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird, Little Greenbul, Blue Breasted Kingfisher, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Crowned Eagle, and other species may be found at Kibale National Park.

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Kyambura Gorge

Chimpanzee trekking in the 100-meter-deep Kyambura Gorge is an exciting experience. Kyambura Gorge was created by the erosion of the River Kyambura, which empties into the Kazinga channel. During the rainy season, you must prepare to hike on slick terrain and wet your chimpanzee trekking equipment.

Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge takes place every day between 0800 and 1400 hours.

In Murchison Falls National Park, the Kaniyo Pabidi Forest

Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is roughly 8 kilometers from Kichumbanyombo Gate when traveling via Masindi Road. Giant ironwood and mahogany trees make up this chimpanzee habitat. Keep an eye out for other primates, such as olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Periphery: Kalinzu Forest Reserve

On the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park is this forest. Despite its reputation for chimpanzee research, demand may permit tourists to engage in chimpanzee trekking here during the busiest times of the year.

The Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ngamba Island

Chimpanzees that have been rescheduled from snares, abandoned, orphaned, and unable to return to their communities reside on Ngamba Island. This sanctuary was established to raise awareness of amazing species and the importance of their delicate habitat among tourists, the local population, and the general public.

There are two visiting sessions every day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can use the feeding platform to participate if feeding time is available. Observe how the chimpanzees illustrate the concept of survival of the fittest through their feeding drama.

How to Reserve Permits for Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
Decide on the dates you want to hike with chimpanzees and gorillas. You can get advice from our tours expert on the best days and how to carry out these activities. Chimpanzee and gorilla trekking cannot be done on the same day since gorilla trekking takes a full day.

Our safari adviser looks through the permit lists of both Rwanda and Uganda when you ask about the availability of gorilla and chimpanzee permits in those countries.

We recommend that you get your gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permits in advance, if there are any available. This is due to the fact that they sell out quickly, particularly during the busiest times of the year when demand for primate safaris in Rwanda and Uganda is highest.

What is the cost of purchasing a gorilla permit for Rwanda and Uganda?

For foreign non-residents, Uganda gorilla licenses cost $800 per person per trip; for foreign residents, they cost $700 per person each trek; and for East African citizens, they cost 300,000 shs.

For foreign non-residents, Rwanda gorilla licenses cost $1500 per person per trek; for foreign residents, they cost $500; and for East African residents, they cost $300.

What does the price of a gorilla permit include?

In Rwanda and Uganda, the cost of a gorilla permit covers park admission fees, ranger guide costs, security for gorilla trekking, assistance with gorilla conservation, support for the local people, and an hour with the mountain gorillas.

Tips, transportation to gorilla locations, porter fees, lunch, and any other personal belongings are not included in the cost of a gorilla permit.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Chimpanzee Trekking Permit in Rwanda or Uganda?

Permits for Ugandan chimpanzees vary in price depending on the location. Currently, chimpanzee permits in Kibale National Park cost $300 per person per hike for non-resident foreigners, $250 for natives, and 150,000 shillings for East African residents.

Take note Park entrance fees are included in the price of Kibale National Park.

The current cost of a Rwanda Chimpanzee trekking permit is $90 per person per trek.

Chimpanzee trekking permit inclusions in Rwanda or Uganda
Chimpanzee conservation, ranger guide costs, security during chimpanzee trekking, community support, and an hour spent with the primates

Transportation to the location, gratuities, porter fees, food, and any other personal belongings are not included in the Chimpanzee Trekking Permit for Rwanda or Uganda.

When is the best time to reserve a trekking permit for chimpanzees and gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda?

Gorilla permits must be obtained six months in advance, and chimpanzee permits must be obtained three months in advance, particularly during the busiest times of the year, which are June through September and December through January.

Which of Rwanda and Uganda Offers the Greatest Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris?

In Rwanda or Uganda, you can get closer to the giant African primates by combining gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. You learn the distinction between chimpanzees and mountain gorillas throughout this tour. The experience of hiking with gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda or Uganda is enchanting no matter where you go.

The following are some distinctions between chimpanzee and gorilla trekking safaris in Rwanda or Uganda:

The quantity of gorilla permits

While Rwanda has 15 gorilla trekking families with 96 gorilla permits, Uganda has roughly 19 gorilla trekking families with 152 gorilla permits available to the public every day.

Numerous activities that can be combined with trekking for chimpanzees and gorillas

You can combine your primate safari with a variety of other activities in Uganda, such as sport fishing, wildlife drives, white water rafting, and viewing the Nile River’s source. There aren’t many options in Rwanda to go along with this primate safari, such as game drives in Akagera National Park or city tours of Kigali.

How much a gorilla permit costs

Gorilla permits in Rwanda cost $1500 per person per hike, whereas those in Uganda cost $800 per person.

While Rwandan chimpanzee permits currently cost $90 per person each trip, Ugandan permits vary in price depending on the region.

Travel time from the airport to the gorilla trekking locations

It takes roughly nine hours to drive from Entebbe Airport to either Mgahinga National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and three hours to drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park.

How to Act When Going on a Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trek in Rwanda and Uganda

When you see the mountain gorillas or chimpanzees, keep around 8 meters away from them because they can contract human illnesses such the flu, cough, COVID-19, and others.
Before going on chimpanzee or gorilla trekking, offer to stay behind if you have a contagious illness.
Chimpanzee trekking requires participants to be at least 15 years old, whereas gorilla trekking requires participants to be at least 15 years old.
If you must defecate, dig a hole that is at least 30 centimeters deep and completely cover it.
When you find chimpanzees or mountain gorillas, don’t use flash photography.
You are only permitted to spend an hour with the chimpanzees or mountain gorillas, so try not to upset them.